


Rectify

by unknownlifeform



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Enemies to Lovers, Eventual Smut, God Sephiroth, M/M, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, human sacrifices happen but it's like a remarkably safe kind of human sacrifice, like freezing slow burn, not quite sane sephiroth as much as not really malicious sephiroth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-16
Updated: 2021-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-25 05:39:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30084300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unknownlifeform/pseuds/unknownlifeform
Summary: Cloud doesn't know why the God of Destruction demands for sacrifices, nor does he care. He just wants to drag him off his throne, and possibly make sure he can never hurt anyone else.It's quite hard to follow through with his goal. Partially because killing a god is a lot harder than Cloud expected, and partially because it turns out maybe Sephiroth wasn't so keen on hurting people as Cloud had assumed.
Relationships: Sephiroth/Cloud Strife
Comments: 24
Kudos: 57





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I have a whole lot of thoughts about this specific au, so please enjoy it.

Cloud's hands tightened on the hilt of his sword. The forest was dark, cold despite it being the beginning of summer. Even colder was the knot of fear in Cloud's stomach.

He was going to die tonight, he was almost sure of that. He clung to his sword like a lifeline. He knew how to fight. He could hold his own. But this was a _god_ he was about to cross swords with. Something much more powerful than any human, something that had had ages to practice. Realistically, his chances of winning were near zero.

He couldn't fail. If he did, if he just angered this creature, then Nibelheim would pay for it. He had to get rid of him once and for all.

Mount Nibel was always freezing at night. There were no lights to guide him other than the full moon above him. Every shadow made him flinch, but it always turned out to just be a tree or a rock. There were no bats, no calls of night birds – unnatural. The forest at the foot of the mountain was full of life. Up here the only noise was Cloud's boots on the fallen leaves.

A flash of white to his left. Cloud jumped, turning around. Nothing.

His heart had started to thunder in his chest. He was sure he had seen something out of the corner of his eye, but there were only more trees. No sign of anything.

Just because he didn't see it, it didn't mean nothing was there.

Cloud licked his lips, eyes wide. There was a faint scent in the hair – something like ozone, like a storm. But the sky was clear, only stars as far as Cloud could see.

He felt watched.

He turned around, looking over the clearing. He could almost believe what he'd seen had just been his imagination, a trick of the moonlight. Almost. He adjusted his grip on the sword. His hands were clammy.

Maybe he had to climb higher. He had already walked a long way tonight, but he didn't know what point of the mountain he had to reach. No one had ever come back to tell, after all.

Another flash of white, again in the corner of his eye. Cloud spun, sword held in front of him, and found nothing.

"Where are you," he whispered, eyes darting around the forest.

"Here."

Cloud shouted at the voice. Close, so close, right behind him. He turned around, blindly trying to cut down whatever had spoken.

His sword clashed loudly with something. Another sword, way longer than any Cloud had seen before. He followed the line of the blade, and found what was holding it.

A man dressed entirely in black. At least, he looked like a man. Hair like liquid silver fell around a face whiter than snow. His eyes were a bright, unnatural green, with slit pupils, shining in the dark like those of a cat.

A small, cold smile graced his lips. "I will admit, you are not the kind of person I expected to find tonight."

Cloud tried to attack him again, but that thing, that _god_ , didn't even falter. He deflected Cloud's blows. He was holding the sword in a way that almost seemed lazy, and yet all of Cloud's strength couldn't make it move an inch.

"I would guess you are not the most devout of my followers," the man said.

"You would guess," Cloud echoed. He was completely unable to get past this being's guard. Too fast, too strong.

His sword was blocked with ease. Then, the man turned his arm, and pushed. Cloud found himself unable to keep his footing, and he was sent back, falling on his ass.

His enemy's blade came to press against the soft skin of Cloud's throat. Cold, unyielding. Cloud's heart was beating so hard he felt his blood alone would push his skin into the sword enough for it to cut.

"What is your name, aspiring god killer?"

Cloud found enough strength to glare at him. "Cloud Strife." 

The man tilted his head. "Pleased to meet you, Cloud. You may call me Sephiroth."

Cloud knew that. As a matter of fact, he could list at least five different names the god was commonly referred to. Apparently Sephiroth was his favorite. The old religious idiots down in Nibelheim would be pleased to know.

The man smiled. "Tell me, Cloud, what is it you wanted to do? Kill me?"

Cloud felt the answer was fairly obvious.

"And now that I've got you this way, what do you plan on doing?"

Cloud swallowed. There was no way of getting out of this situation, unless _Sephiroth_ decided to let him go, and that was doubtful. None of the sacrifices Nibelheim had sent his way had ever come back. The God of Destruction was not famous for mercy.

He looked up at the god with wide eyes, the rush of his blood in his ears almost deafening, and tried not to show his fear. He held on to what dignity he had. He'd never had much else. He had spent his life trying to prove himself, and if he were going to die, he wouldn't die cowering.

He should have said goodbye to his mom.

And then, Sephiroth's sword lifted.

"Run off, Cloud Strife. I am not interested in your head."

Just like that, Sephiroth turned around, and made to walk away.

Cloud gaped. His mind had somehow backfired, unable to understand what was going on. The fear going through him just seconds before had overpowered anything else. He'd been _sure_ he was about to die. He raised his hand to his throat, almost expecting to find a cut there.

The relief was not long lived. He had provoked him, what if Sephiroth took vengeance of Nibelheim for it? Even if he didn't do it now, he would still be here, and the youth of the village would still be sent to him, never to come back.

And Cloud, Cloud really hated being so small a threat that Sephiroth turned his back to him when he still had his sword.

He stood back up, and rushed the god again.

Now there was something in Sephiroth's face. Surprise, maybe, that hadn't been there during Cloud's first attack. Cloud was relentless, using all the speed and skill he had. All he was rewarded with was steel clashing against steel. If only he could manage to breach Sephiroth's guard once. If only Sephiroth didn't have the advantage of reach and a longer sword.

Cloud grit his teeth. He could do it, he had to do it, he-

Sephiroth's sword left a cut on Cloud's arm. It could have been a serious wound, had Cloud not managed to move away fast enough. Oddly enough, he didn't actually feel the pain.

Despite his best efforts, he was still no match for Sephiroth. His sword was sent flying away. Once again, the tip of a blade pressed against his throat.

"I am not in the habit of sparing someone twice," Sephiroth said. His voice had lowered. His face was mostly impassive, but there was a hint of danger in his tone. "Are you that desperate for glory?"

Cloud stared down at the sword pressing against him. "You can leave. There isn't a sacrifice for you tonight."

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "I see, then. You are here to save the one they wished to give me. Who is she? A sister? A lover, maybe?"

"Neither. And you're not getting her," Cloud said.

"Mm. It's not the first time someone decides to save a sacrifice, but none had decided to kill me to do so. I can't say whether you are brave or particularly foolish."

Right now, Cloud felt very much like the latter. He wasn't going to say that to Sephiroth, however. He clenched his fists, trying to keep his hands from shaking.

Sephiroth scoffed. "Perhaps foolish is better. Your people seem convinced I will send the sky raining down on them if they do not send me sacrifices, don't they? Tell me, did you really think you would do more than just annoy me?"

Cloud's eyes widened. Was that a threat? A promise, maybe? Would Sephiroth take his anger out on Nibelheim now? Cloud's mother was still there, he should have told her to leave, run away while she had the chance. He couldn't allow that to happen. He didn't want to die, but even less he wanted to be the reason for someone else's death.

"It _may_ turn quite unpleasant for your people," Sephiroth said, conversationally.

Maybe- Maybe he could still fix this, maybe he couldn't get out of this alive but at least he could save his mother-

"Take me then," Cloud blurted.

Sephiroth blinked. "Excuse me?"

"As sacrifice."

"You failed at being the god killing hero, so now you are offering yourself to me as a sacrifice?" Sephiroth said.

Cloud swallowed. "Am I not up to your standards, _god?_ "

"You are a weird one," Sephiroth murmured. "Is you next plan attempting to kill me while in my own palace?"

In truth, that had not crossed Cloud's mind. He was being faced with the prospect of death, and of pain for those he cared about. Offering himself up had just sprung into his mind. He wasn't thinking past that.

Sephiroth smiled. "But you do seem to be just right for the job."

He pulled his sword back, and it... disappeared. With a cloud of black smoke, it vanished from existence. Cloud blinked at Sephiroth's hand, but it was undeniable it was no longer holding anything.

"Congratulations, Cloud Strife," Sephiroth said, stepping closer. "You have earned yourself a stay in my palace."

Cloud took a step back, instinctively. Sephiroth was much taller than him. Close up, he could see just how striking that green in his eyes were. Not a color any human had. They quite literally shined in the dark. Sephiroth's skin, his face, his hair, all of him looked beautiful in a way that was too perfect to be natural. As if he were a statue someone had breathed life into.

He almost shouted when a wing sprouted from Sephiroth's back. Huge, black, and most definitely something that should not be attached to a man.

"We will have to fly there," Sephiroth said. "Don't squirm."

"What are you-"

Cloud's words were cut off when Sephiroth suddenly disappeared, and reappeared behind him. An arm wrapped itself around Cloud's chest. Cloud grew rigid, every muscle in his body tensing. He didn't want to be touched by this _thing._ His skin crawled in terror.

Before Cloud could wrench himself of it, the grip tightened, and with a sudden lurch Cloud found himself being lifted off the ground. Off, off, off. He was higher than the trees, the mountain side turning small and far beneath him.

Cloud shut his eyes. The sight was making his stomach lurch. It was hard to breathe, whether because of fear or of the air growing thin he didn't know. Cold wind slapped against his face like knives. The scent of ozone was overpowering, coming from the being behind Cloud.

He clung to the arm around him, digging his fingers into it as a lifeline. No matter how much he wanted to run as far away from Sephiroth as he could, right now he had no chance but to hang on to him now. It was that, or plummeting to his death. His heart was going to burst right out of his chest-

Suddenly, he was dropped. Cloud screamed.

The fall lasted less than a couple seconds. He landed on a hard surface with an oof.

"Welcome," Sephiroth said, his voice a little behind Cloud.

Cloud pushed himself up on his elbows. Beneath him was a floor made from black stone. Looking ahead, he could see a building. It was huge, far larger than any Cloud had ever seen. He had to crane his neck up to see the roof, and that was surrounded by clouds.

"Follow me," Sephiroth said, brisk, walking towards the building.

Cloud didn't see what alternatives he had but to do as told. He got to his feet. His ears were ringing, his knees shaking.

An archway marked the entrance to the palace, and even the passage was gigantic. His mother's house in Nibelheim would have easily fit in that space.

His legs were heavy as a trailed along. The hallways seemed infinite. Green torches lit them, and in passing Cloud saw strange figures in the shadows, cloaked in dark hoods.

More than once, Cloud thought about ducking in one of the side passages they walked past, but there would have been no point in doing so. This was Sephiroth's palace, surely he would find Cloud. Even if Cloud managed to evade him, he had no idea where he could go.

Where was he being taken? No one knew what Sephiroth did with the sacrifices. There were a thousand rumors about it, each worse than the other.

Cloud hoped his demise wouldn't be more painful if he threw up against a wall. His fear had grown so much he struggled to think. Vertigo was making the walls around him wobble.

Eventually, Sephiroth stopped in front of a wooden door.

"Get in," Sephiroth said.

Cloud hesitated.

"I said get in. You will be given water, and something to clean the cut. I will come back in the morning."

Slowly, Cloud got into the room. Sephiroth nodded, and then left, closing the door behind himself.

Cloud had to place a hand on the wall to steady himself. His legs gave out. He slowly slid down, finding himself sitting on the floor.

What had he gotten himself into?

He didn't know how long it had taken for Sephiroth to get him to this palace. It had seemed hours, but maybe it had simply been Cloud's terror that had turned the time longer and longer. What he knew was it had been more than enough time to start cursing himself for his own decisions.

It had seemed easy, in that moment. If Sephiroth was going to kill him anyways, then why not make his death meaningful? Better to do this than to make other people pay for Cloud's idiot attempts at being the hero.

Now that he was here, he didn't know if that decision had been right anymore. Had he died on the mountain, it would have been quick. A flick of Sephiroth's sword. But now, Cloud had no idea what would Sephiroth do to him now. There were rules – the people of Nibelheim sent a sacrifice once every ten years, always a girl, healthy, old enough to be an adult but young enough to be pretty, childless and preferably unmarried. Cloud wasn't a girl, but he supposed he met the other requirements.

People said Sephiroth must need those girls for some manner of magic. Cloud had never cared much about the details. All he knew was that every ten years since anyone had memory an innocent girl would disappear forever. Certainly Sephiroth's intentions weren't good, but that was all that mattered to him. That he was evil. That he was something to hate.

Now all sorts of horrid possibilities came to Cloud's minds. Gruesome deaths, tortures, dismemberment, rape, all of it mixed together. Unbearable pain and-

Cloud pinched himself. Hard.

Was this the moment to panic? Cloud couldn't. Not now. He had to think. He might not get more than one night to plan.

Cloud pushed himself up to his feet. Breathe in, breathe out. Slowly. Try and stave off the incoming panic attack. Cloud had to focus. Think about something else.

He pressed his hand to the cut on his arm, and squeezed it. The pain made Cloud hiss, but it brought some lucidity with it. It helped clear his head.

Cloud looked around himself. The walls were also black stone. There were no windows, the only source of light were a couple of those eerie green candles. There was a wooden table near the door, with a chair next to it. A bed, with a black blanket and green sheets. Or maybe white sheets, made green by the strange light. On the opposite side as Cloud was a wardrobe.

There was also a smaller door. Cloud walked up to it, taking a look inside. It led to a small bathroom, with a sink, a tub, and a toilet.

Cloud took a few steps back, frowning.

He jumped when he heard the door to the hallway room being opened.

It was one of those figures, all wrapped in a black cape. Their face and body was hidden. Cloud could not tell whether they were a man or a woman. All he could see was a thin mouth, the rest of his face covered by a hood. Corpse white hands held a pitcher, and some gauze.

The figure placed the objects on a table near the door, and then left without a word.

Cloud remained completely still for a minute or two. When he took a look at what he had been given, he found the pitcher full of water.

Cloud was confused. He was in a bedroom. A perfectly normal bedroom, if not for the bizarre lights.

He didn't understand what was happening. Why was he being treated like a... guest? It didn't make sense. He would have expected a dark dungeon with a cot and a bucket he could shit into. This room was fancier than the one Cloud had in Nibelheim.

He touched his left arm. There was blood drying on Cloud's sleeve. Was this the reason Sephiroth was leaving him be for now? The sacrifices he was sent had to be perfect. Was a simple wound like this an issue? Did he want Cloud to be the absolute picture of health, without the smallest of issues?

It didn't matter. Whatever plans he had, Cloud was sure it would not be pleasant for him in the end.

He took off his shirt. Regardless of Sephiroth's motivations, it was probably a good idea to take care of his cut. It wasn't deep, but it was still bleeding, and Cloud would prefer not to get an infection on top of every other problem he had. At least, this gave him something to do.

He wondered where Tifa was now. Cloud had managed to find her before she started to climb. He had told her to run, that he would take care of things. He knew there were guards around Mount Nibel, to make sure the sacrifices wouldn't escape, but Tifa was smart. She could find a way out.

Technically speaking, Cloud _was_ taking care of things. Just not in the way he had hoped. He had wanted to rid Nibelheim of that creature once and for all, but it seemed the only thing he could do was temporarily appeasing him, as so many unfortunate others before him.

_Is you next plan attempting to kill me while in my own palace?_

It was beyond stupid, as far as ideas went. Cloud had just had proof of how fast and strong Sephiroth was. Defeating Cloud had seemed to take Sephiroth as much effort as one would use to swat a fly.

Here, however... it was his home, yes, but it could also mean his guard was lowered.

As far as dumb ideas went, trying to assassinate a god in his own palace was even worse than challenging him to a duel. But Cloud had been told many times that he never knew when it was time to give up on his personal battles.

He'd just have to figure out how. His sword had been left on Mount Nibel, Cloud had no other weapons with him. Surely he couldn't overpower Sephiroth by force, even a normal man that size would be too much for Cloud to wrestle with.

He'd have to think of something. Quickly, preferably.

He didn't know how much time he'd have before... before.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who subscribed to this fic!  
> Cloud is not having fun this chapter. Possible warnings for panicking and non graphic vomiting towards the end of the chapter.

"Cloud."

Cloud's eyelids fluttered, but didn't open. His mind lingered in the limbo between wakefulness and sleep. His body was so heavy. He felt tired, as if he had just slept a few minutes, or maybe like strange dreams had disturbed him. Maybe he was still half tangled in a dream, because the voice calling him had not sounded like his mom's. Too low and deep, too-

"Wake up, Cloud. I don't have all day."

Cloud shot up, suddenly alert.

Sephiroth stood in the doorway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. "Good morning. I had food sent to you."

Cloud's eyes darted to the table, where a tray was resting.

He must have passed out at some point in the night. He remembered pacing the room, trying to think of a way out of this. He had probably lied down at some point. He'd been so strung up he hadn't even tried to sleep, but clearly he had been too exhausted to stay awake.

And what a way to wake up. Cloud's heart was already starting to race. Sephiroth stood there, eyes fixed on Cloud, and Cloud felt _trapped_. He had no way to fight, nor to run. He was helpless.

In the light of the torches, Sephiroth somehow looked even eerier than the previous night. Despite the unnatural green hue the fires cast on everything, Sephiroth's skin was somehow still deathly white. His silver hair fell in front of him in a way that was almost artistic.

"What do you want?" Cloud asked. Surely the god wasn't just there to _have breakfast_ with Cloud.

"I'm just here for a quick chat."

Cloud's heart was already beginning to race. Sephiroth's cat gaze gave him shivers. The idea that Sephiroth had just been staring at him while he slept made Cloud want to scream.

"What do you want to do to me?"

"Right now, I want you to stop hyperventilating. It will help neither of us."

Cloud hadn't noticed he was, but he didn't think he could do much about it. "Are you-"

"I will not kill you," Sephiroth interrupted. "Dying is the least useful thing a human can do for me."

_Useful._ As if people were something that Sephiroth had a use for, like some kind of tool. Through the fear, Cloud was starting to remember why he was not religious.

"And I have no plans on taking you as a sex slave, either," Sephiroth continued. "Do you have any other assumptions about me I need to disprove?"

For a moment, Cloud stayed silent. Then, "they're reasonable assumptions."

For starters, no one who was ever given to Sephiroth came back. And since they were called sacrifices, it was not that big of a stretch to think Sephiroth may be killing them for some kind of dark ritual. Or his own amusement.

The other option was also not too absurd. Sephiroth was always given young, beautiful women. It wasn't hard to jump to conclusions as to what Sephiroth may want with them. The idea of those girls being locked up somewhere and abused until Sephiroth had grown bored of them was as horrifying as it was realistic.

Sephiroth had denied those assumptions. He had not disproved them.. Just because he said he wasn't going to kill Cloud it didn't mean he wouldn't take out a knife when Cloud least expected it. And well, Cloud was a man, but he knew all too well he was also fairly delicate in looks. Who knew what tastes Sephiroth had.

"I don't have a lot of time right now," Sephiroth said. He uncrossed his arms, lowering them. The black leather of his coat outlined the strong muscles. He wasn't just taller than Cloud was, he was almost far more built. "Another day, I may entertain your questions, but for now I want you to calm down. And answer a couple questions?" 

Cloud swallowed. "What?"

"Are you a fighter of some kind? A soldier?"

"I'm a hunter."

"You hunt with a sword?" Sephiroth asked.

"There's monsters in the woods." And gods, too.

Sephiroth hummed. "I take it you are healthy, then." What kind of comment was that? "Are you native of Nibelheim?"

"I... yes."

"Your family, too?"

Cloud scowled. "Why do you care?"

"Your manners could use some polishing, Cloud."

Cloud didn't apologize. Sephiroth had no business asking Cloud about his family. Cloud didn't see how it would matter to him, if not maybe as a way to retaliate against Cloud if Cloud were to anger him.

Sephiroth, apparently, decided the answer to this question was not important. "You are allowed to leave this room, but don't wander too far. The palace is big and it was not made for mortals. You will be given clean clothes and food as you need."

"What?"

"Have you not heard me?"

"You're just letting me walk around the place?" Cloud asked.

"I don't see why I shouldn't. As I said, I don't quite have time to discuss with you right now. I will explain what your use here is later. For now, just know that you're not in any particular danger here."

"Wait, what-"

"Eat your breakfast, it's not poisoned."

Sephiroth left, leaving Cloud to stare at the spot he had been in. He didn't know what to make of that conversation.

Everyone seemed to agree whatever happened to the sacrifices sent to Sephiroth was not pleasant. Even the most passionate worshipers admitted it was likely Sephiroth killed the people he was given. Or turned them into his brides.

Cloud just couldn't believe Sephiroth's words when he said he wouldn't harm Cloud. There was no way Sephiroth was just keeping him here for fun. The fact he hadn't actually told Cloud what was going to happen to him was telling. He could be trying to instill a false sense of security into Cloud, reassuring him his fears were unfounded but also hiding the truth of what he planned.

There was a story in Nibelheim about how the God of Destruction had with a trick destroyed demons who had tried to kill him. He had sent storms and lighting their way. The demons had taken refuge into a cave, and at first the God of Destruction had cursed them, and called them cowards, demanding they come out and face him. The demons had then believe they were safe in the cave, and rushed deeper into it to wait for the God's wrath to subsist. But when they had, the God sent massive lightning on the mountain side, so terrible that it had caused the cave to crumble down on them.

It was a story hunters liked to tell. If the demons had just ran around in the storm, the God would have had to hunt down every one of them, but after he had driven them into the cave, they had been trapped. When hunting, traps could be the best choice, as opposed to chasing the prey. They would point at the Horn Mountain, a little west from Mount Nibel, and to a massive hole in the mountain side, and say that was where the God had struck, and sometimes you could still hear the dying screams of the demons in there.

Personally, Cloud had always thought the screams were just the wind.

Now Cloud felt very much like he was into the cave, and Sephiroth was waiting to storm down the mountain on him.

***

Cloud was reluctant to admit it, but Sephiroth had been right in saying he should not have wandered too far from his room.

Cloud had eventually eaten his breakfast, deciding to trust Sephiroth on the fact that it wasn't poisoned. Eggs and bread, not too bad for a prisoner. After that, he had paced up and down his room most of the morning. At least, he assumed it had been morning. There were no clocks in his room, or windows.

In the end, he had decided to explore. Waiting in his room for something to happen had only served to make Cloud grow anxious and restless.

Everything in this place was just ridiculously oversized. Out of curiosity, Cloud had tried to measure the width of the hallway his room was in. It had taken him eight paces to go from one wall to the other. In height, it had to be at least three times that. The roof culminated in arches, and one side had windows made of stained glass. Between that and the green candles, the light was bizarre, but also brighter than Cloud would have expected.

Walking around with the light of day filtering through, Cloud could see not everything was built in that black stone. The structure of the arches was white. While Cloud's room was in a somewhat plain area, many walls were decorated with ornate reliefs.

He couldn't figure out what those were meant to represent, however. Some things were recognizable – people, animals, plants. Others, on the other hand, were unknown to him. Human figures with more arms and legs and heads than they were supposed to, creatures with many wings, beasts that looked like mixtures of many other animals. And then things that were so strange Cloud couldn't even describe them. Some of the images were almost dizzying to look at.

There were also bright stones and metals set in the reliefs. Cloud's jaw dropped when he realized there were real silver and gold molded in to represent armors and swords. The decorations were so beautifully made that Cloud struggled to tell where the stone ended and the metal begun.

Wandering through all those huge corridors, it was no wonder Cloud ended up lost.

He wasn't even sure how long he walked. All he knew was that the palace was a labyrinth. The internal structure made no sense to him.

Cloud hadn't wanted to spend the day locked in his room, but he liked being lost even less. Awe had briefly distracted Cloud from the situation he was in. The more he wandered, however, the more his fears returned. He had completely lost his sense of direction. There was nothing to tell him where he was.

He jumped away when he crossed paths with one of Sephiroth's hooded servants. The figure didn't seem to acknowledge Cloud. They just kept walking. It was as if they hadn't even seen him.

Was there anything else in this place besides Cloud, Sephiroth, and these servants? Did Sephiroth keep guard dogs? If he did, Cloud didn't want to know what kind of beasts they might be. He walked faster, trying to find a way to orient himself.

Cloud turned a corner, and found himself in a hallway that was much larger and brighter than the others. In front of him was an archway. It looked like the one he had come through the night before. Sunlight came through it.

Without hesitation, Cloud ran towards it. Even if he couldn't escape, the promise of sky over his head was too tempting. Despite how big everything was, Cloud felt crushed by all this stone around him. He was in a prison, even if a god sized one.

Besides, maybe he wasn't _truly_ trapped. He had no idea where Sephiroth had his palace, but it couldn't be too far from Nibelheim. The general agreement was that it was on top of some mountain. Cloud was a good climber, he could get away if he tried.

Cloud rushed out of the palace. The sky was bright blue above him, and a soft wind ran through his hair.

He came to halt after some steps. Panting, he looked around. He was on a large open space, paved with black and white stone. There were no other buildings except the palace behind him. The only other structures were large statues, depicting what seemed to Cloud like angels, angels with varying numbers of wings.

He walked towards the edges of the paved space. A small distance from the building were a series of what seemed like flowerbeds, aligned along a circle that went around the palace. Each of them had a single tree in it, and both the tree and the ground were covered in patches of many colors.

Passing by the closest one, Cloud realized the colored patches were lichens. He thought they were, at least. Each was larger than his head. They climbed over the tree trunks, green and white and yellow, covering almost all the bark.

From the leaves, Cloud could guess the trees were yew. He swallowed. People in Nibel used to say the yew was sacred to the God of Destruction. The old and superstitious said it was because of magical, divine powers infused in the tree – Cloud thought the poison was a more immediate connection.

Cloud walked off. He didn't want to be too close to those plants.

A sudden shadow covered him. He looked up, wondering if it was a cloud.

His jaw dropped.

There was _something_ moving above. It looked like some kind of black pyramid, and it was flying.

Cloud craned his neck up to look at the sky, and saw more of those things. Each of them had to be big enough to fill a whole room. They hovered around the highest point of the palace, slowly turning on themselves, moving along in a circle. There was nothing holding them up.

The rest of the palace was eerie, unsettling at times, but those things made Cloud's stomach drop. He could walk through a palace bigger than anything man would have built and not feel too uneasy. But he couldn't wrap his mind around that.

Looking down once again, took up running. He had to see what was below the edge of this paved space. From the way this sort of platform seemed to cut against the sky, Cloud had assumed the palace was build above a steep precipice. Now, however, there was another possibility forming in his mind.

Clouds. There was nothing underneath if not clouds. He could still see the land below him, but it was far, far down. Like he was at the top of a mountain, except there was no mountain.

He could, in fact, see some mountains. The peaks were far down below him.

Cloud felt dizzy with sudden vertigo. He stumbled back a couple steps, eyes fixed on the nothingness below.

Cloud wondered why he was not freezing or suffocating. Even just on Mount Nibel the air was thin enough to make breathing hard, if one wasn't used to it. By all logic, he should be dead now.

He also wondered why he was asking himself that. As if the presence or absence of air was the his most pressing concern.

He was stuck here. He was effectively stuck here. There was no way of leaving other than Sephiroth flying him back down. Even if- Even if he did manage to somehow sneak up on the god and kill him, he would have no way to go back home.

Or, well, he could jump. At least his mother would get something to bury. Assuming the impact wouldn't completely destroy his body.

"You should step away from there."

Cloud shouted. Sephiroth was right behind him. He had not noticed him coming. It was a miracle the scare hadn't sent Cloud tipping over the edge.

"It's a long fall. I would recommend you be careful."

Sephiroth stood there, beautiful and perfect and unnatural, hair moving with the wind. He did not seem angry, nor pleased, nor anything else. His face was a mask. Tall and proud, anyone looking at him would immediately realize that he had to be a strong, powerful man – but there wasn't a magic or technology known to man who could keep this place afloat.

And Cloud was a prisoner with him now. This _thing_ – so much greater than humans, why would he care for them? He sent storms and cold northern winds and hail as big as a person's fist, and it didn't seem to matter to him what happened to people. Cloud was not a big man, but he rarely ever felt this small.

Cloud was not good with fear. It clawed and buried itself in his core, and he would trash against it with all his strength. Sometimes, he ended up hurting himself too in that thrashing.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

Sephiroth only raised an eyebrow at that.

"What do you want?" Cloud's voice rose, turning louder in volume to hide the way it shook. "Why do you need people?"

"I already told you not to worry."

"Why should I believe you?"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed. "I am being patient with you," he said, slowly, "because I see you are afraid. But I do not appreciate being called a liar."

Cloud let out a bark of laughter. With a little more self awareness, Cloud might have realized he was getting somewhat hysterical. However, it was hard to think. It was hard to even realize he possibly shouldn't anger Sephiroth more, panic fogging his thoughts. "How dare I say the God of Destruction may be deceiving me!"

"And Rebirth."

"What?"

"God of Destruction and Rebirth. That is the full description, and I would prefer it if you used it," Sephiroth said.

"What does that matter?" Cloud said. "You destroy first."

"It matters," Sephiroth hissed.

"Like fuck it does!"

Sephiroth took one step closer. "Stop antagonizing me, Cloud."

Cloud couldn't take a step back, or he'd risk falling. "Or what? Are you going to punish me then? Throw me off?"

"Don't tempt me," Sephiroth replied.

Cloud swallowed.

Sephiroth took a deep breath. "You should go back to your room. It is better if you keep your explorations within the palace. This place is unsafe for you."

"Is anything here?"

"I told you, I have no intention of-"

"Because you need me for something?" Cloud shouted. He wasn't sure if the way his head was spinning was due to vertigo or fear. "And then what?"

"You volunteered to come here."

"You'd have brought ruin on Nibelheim if I hadn't-"

"Don't put words into my mouth," Sephiroth snarled. He was suddenly close to Cloud, just a breath away. When had he moved? Cloud hadn't even seen it happen.

Cloud's heart felt like it was about to leap out of his throat. In its stead, words would do too. "Monster."

"What did you say?"

"Monster," Cloud repeated. "You-"

He was cut off by a hand grabbing his arm in a punishing grip, strong enough to hurt.

The world spun. Colors mixed together, until it was all a blur, the only clear thing the shining green of Sephiroth's eyes. Cloud screamed as his ears popped as if with pressure. Pain burst behind his eyes.

His feet hit solid ground. Cloud buckled down, and threw up.

"The conversation is over," Sephiroth's cold voice said above him. "I'll send someone to clean up."

A door slammed somewhere to his right. Cloud stomach clenched again, and he finished getting rid of his breakfast.

When Cloud's nausea subsisted, he looked up to find himself back in his room.

He felt like shit. He stood up and immediately the world started spinning again. Cloud placed a hand on the wall, trying to steady himself. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths to keep the nausea down.

What had just happened? Had Sephiroth magically moved them here?

The shock had cut through his earlier panic. Fear still clung to the back of his mind, but it was hard to focus on anything but the way his stomach was turning. Waves of pain pulsed through his head. Cloud was too dizzy and disoriented to think.

When he didn't feel like retching, he stumbled to the bed, and fell down on it. He closed his eyes. The soft, green light had become offensive.

He didn't react when he heard the door open. Probably just one of those servants who got told to come clean.

Cloud didn't even notice it when he passed out.


End file.
